DRINKING WATER
Case Study: Groundwater DWTP (AK) - DEXSORB Full-Scale
A DWTP client in Alaska detected elevated PFAS contamination levels in two groundwater wells supplying drinking water to 85 service connections. PFAS concentrations are provided in Table 1, where combined concentration of EPA PFAS6 was detected at 490 to 810 ppt.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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City Solves Reliability And Maintenance Problems For WTP Hypo Feeds
A municipal water quality manager reports replacement of sodium hypochlorite (hypo) vacuum feeder units with a more advanced type at one water treatment plant (WTP) has helped allow for continued reliability for chlorination.
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![HDSS Slot Design]( "The Life Cycle Benefits Of Ductile Iron Pipe: A Comprehensive Comparison With Other Pipe Materials")
The Life Cycle Benefits Of Ductile Iron Pipe: A Comprehensive Comparison With Other Pipe MaterialsIn this article, explore the life cycle benefits of ductile iron pipe in comparison with PCCP, PVC, and HDPE pipes.
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![TWOPHOTOS-FORSYTHCOUNTYGA]( "AFC Semper RPM'S “Lift And Shift” Ability Shines In Forsyth County, Georgia")
AFC Semper RPM'S “Lift And Shift” Ability Shines In Forsyth County, GeorgiaSince the Forsyth County, Georgia, Department of Water and Sewer deployed the AMERICAN Flow Control SEMPER Remote Pressure Monitor (RPM) more than a year ago, it has seen numerous advantages. But the AFC SEMPER’s ability to move from one system asset to another, “Lift and Shift,” is among the greatest.
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![Ebaa Iron.jpg]( "Bearing And Frictional Resistance: The Building Blocks Of A Restrained System")
Bearing And Frictional Resistance: The Building Blocks Of A Restrained SystemConnections bulletins PD-1 through PD-4 discuss some of the specific applications of the design of a properly restrained pipeline. PD-2 specifically addresses horizontal bends and the various parameters involved in the design process. PD-3 applies those parameters to the design of vertical offsets and tees. Finally, the design of reducers, dead ends, and miscellaneous fittings is discussed in PD-4. This bulletin delves into a more detailed discussion of the bearing and frictional resistance forces at work to balance thrust forces generated in pressurized pipelines. To see how this information relates to the various pipeline elements, please refer to the other Connections bulletins.
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![GettyImages-1334491787_450_300]( "Why Your Water Utility Should Be Using Hydraulic Modeling")
Why Your Water Utility Should Be Using Hydraulic ModelingHydraulic modeling offers a vast range of benefits such as improving system performance, long-term infrastructure planning, predicting and anticipating demographic changes, and more.
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![Lemoore FA.jpg]( "Turning Problematic Groundwater Treatment Into A Cost-Saving Resource")
Turning Problematic Groundwater Treatment Into A Cost-Saving ResourceReceiving a compliance order from the California Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) was not the worst thing that ever happened to the City of Lemoore. It set the wheels in motion for a unique technical solution to historic groundwater problems and a progressive design-build approach to accelerating delivery of high-quality drinking water with only one-fourth the operating expense (OPEX) of other treatment alternatives.
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![GettyImages-1345400723_450_300]( "Challenging Aeration Design Standards Results In Lower Cost, Higher Performance")
Challenging Aeration Design Standards Results In Lower Cost, Higher PerformanceBy using airflow-based aeration controls, the Brockton, MA wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was able to reduce energy usage by 23% while producing higher-quality effluent.
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Membrane Treatment Of Groundwater
The groundwater that a southern Louisiana water utility supplies to local residents has traditionally carried a high amount of organic material and color. In the past, the organics were oxidized and broken down by chlorination, but this practice had gone out of favor due to production of disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacidic Acids (HAAs).
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![GasLine]( "160-Year-Old Gas Line Shows Resiliency Of Iron Pipe")
160-Year-Old Gas Line Shows Resiliency Of Iron PipeA 30-inch diameter 160-year-old cast iron pipe was recently excavated and retired from gas service in Chicago, Illinois. Installed in 1859, this pipeline provided Chicago’s residents, fewer than 112,000 at the time, with reliable lighting at night. As the years passed, this cast iron pipe continued to provide dependable gas service in the tough urban environment of downtown Chicago.
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![mike-holt]( "Water Control Gates Remain In Place At W.B. Casey Water Reclamation Facility Even After Expected Replacement")
Water Control Gates Remain In Place At W.B. Casey Water Reclamation Facility Even After Expected ReplacementWhen a water resource recovery facility started seeing hydrogen sulfide levels of more than 500 parts per million, its force main began to deteriorate. The facility expected it would have to replace the gates that were original to the facility, considering the environment around them was destroyed, but upon further inspection it was found that the gates had suffered no damages.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Municipal Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring9/24/2020
We arm municipalities with actionable data necessary to make informed decisions about water quality in their communities
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How Activated Carbon Works To Purify Air And Water10/31/2019
The first step is to define the performance limiting factors in the application. For this application, most of the adsorber is used for MTBE adsorption in the ppb concentration range. Adsorption of BTEX, TBA, or humic acids or other total organic carbon (TOC) components are removed by the front end of the column.
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Aries Arsenic Reduction1/7/2026
Arsenic has no smell, taste, or color when dissolved in water even in high concentrations. It is a potential concern to those who live in areas with high natural deposits of arsenic, receive runoff from orchards, or from glass and electronic production waste. Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause a number of harmful effects on the human body including cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, among others.
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Automatic Rinse Tank Controls10/29/2021
Proper rinsing is one of the most important steps in quality manufacturing or metal finishing. Plenty of low cost, good quality water for rinsing has been available in the past, so rinse water conservation has been largely ignored.
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Free Chlorine Measurement In Drinking Water Treatment12/21/2005
Before water can be used as a safe and reliable source for drinking water, it must be properly treated. Since water is a universal solvent, it comes in contact with several different pathogens, some of which are potentially lethal, and inactivation is accomplished through chemical disinfection and mechanical filtration treatment. This treatment consists of coarse filtration to remove large objects and pre-treatment which includes disinfection using chlorine or ozone
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LC-MS/MS Analysis Of PFAS Extractables In Polyethersulfone Syringe Filters Using EPA 537.15/18/2022
A key consideration for any PFAS method is to avoid contamination that can impact the accuracy of data, including those coming from sample preparation techniques such as filtration.
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Colorimetric vs Amperometric Technologies3/9/2026
Choose the right chlorine monitoring approach by weighing the continuous, reagent-free speed of amperometric sensing against the superior, stable accuracy of batch-based colorimetric analysis, ensuring long-term reliability based on specific site and process requirements.
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Ultrapure Water For Determination of Toxic Elements In Environmental Analyses4/10/2018
In this paper the importance of reagent water quality for toxic element environmental analyses is discussed, and the suitability of fresh ultrapure water produced using MilliporeSigma water purification systems for ICP-OES and ICP-MS trace element analyses in environmental laboratories is demonstrated.
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Bottled Water Industry: Liquid Analytical Solutions11/10/2013
Americans consume more than 9.1 billion gallons of bottled water annually - an average of twenty nine gallons per person every year.
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LC-MS Analysis Of 33 PFAS Compounds In 5 Minutes11/4/2021
In response to environmental testing demands for faster LC-MS analyses, the new Ascentis® Express PFAS HPLC and delay columns allow the highly efficient separation of 33 PFAS compounds in 5 minutes with reduced background contamination.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
Water reuse is no longer a choice. It’s a necessity. Orenco’s AdvanTex Treatment Systems consistently produce clear effluent that meets the most stringent permit limits.
The Series 1100TDM Tandem MEGALUG restrain ductile iron pipe to mechanical joint fittings, pipe and appurtenances that require high PSI ratings. It consists of one Series 1100 MEGALUG and one Series 1100 MEGALUG with the MJ lip removed as to sit properly behind the first.
Proprietary Composite Spiral Element. Available in Fiberglass and Netting Wrap configurations. Anti-Telescoping Device (ATD) both ends. Brine seal (one end) - Fiberglass Wrap only.
Xylem’s offering of granular activated carbons includes a versatile group of adsorbents designed to meet your needs for air and water compliance, wastewater treatment, remediation, and water purification. As an exclusive supplier of AquaCarb® and VoCarb® carbons, among many others, we provide premium virgin, activated, and reactivated carbons sourced from high-quality bituminous coal, coconut shell, and anthracite coal, suitable for both liquid and vapor phase applications.
Our activated carbons undergo rigorous quality testing at a state-certified environmental and carbon testing laboratory. Our application experts can help you select the right carbon, enabling you to improve performance, extend time between exchanges, and minimize operating costs.
We maintain a large inventory of high-quality carbons for quick selection and delivery. We can deliver carbon to you in:
- Supersacks
- Paper bags
- Fiber drums
Gray iron pipe preceded Ductile Iron pipe by well over 100 years. Its intended use was to convey water as well as wastewater. Continuous tests and field experience have brought the production and use of Ductile Iron pipe to maturity. It has replaced gray iron pipe in practically all applications. Ductile Iron is a high-strength, tough material used in water and sewer systems in all states within the U.S. and in many other areas of the world.
Ion exchange, often abbreviated IX, is an effective technology for removing dissolved ionic compounds
from liquid solutions, primarily drinking water sources. IX is most commonly known for removing nitrate but is also
effective at removing contaminants such as perchlorate, arsenic, Chrome-6, and more recently, PFAS (Per- and
Polyfluorinated Substances).
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![snowystream-Getty-521971897]( "Winter's Alarmingly Low Snowpack Offers A Glimpse Of The Changing Rhythm Of Water In The Western U.S.")
The April 1 snowpack measurement has long been the single most important number in western water management, considered a strong proxy for how much water the mountains are holding in reserve. But in 2026, that savings account has been woefully deficient. -
![ColoradoRiverDam_Getty-1280300802]( "Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, And How They Could Resume With The Possibility Of Agreement")
Why Colorado River Negotiations Stalled, And How They Could Resume With The Possibility Of AgreementThe five most common sources of conflict between people are values, data, relationships, interests, and structure. The current Colorado River negotiations include all five. -
![Water droplets, PFAS, Forever chemical water contamination-GettyImages-2173433890]( "Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies")
Water agencies across the U.S. are facing a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that poses a conundrum: Should they take a cautious or aggressive approach to treating PFAS contamination in their water system?
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![Oil spill clean up-GettyImages-1369921282]( "The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction")
The U.S. EPA’s 2026 trichloroethylene (TCE) compliance deadlines are now forcing a concrete shift toward source-zone destruction. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), sequenced with enhanced bioremediation, is proving to be the most credible path to groundwater contaminant rebound mitigation.
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![GettyImages-1365695094 water in hands]( "How Generative Design Can Help UK Utilities Justify PR29 Investment Cases")
Generative design strengthens PR29 investment cases by enabling rigorous optioneering, accurate cost estimates, and clear outcome alignment, helping water companies meet rising regulatory expectations.
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![money, dollars down the drain-GettyImages-157193934]( "Critical Infrastructure Fails The Way It's Funded")
Our infrastructure systems have operated in managed deterioration for decades. And not surprisingly, once they deteriorate badly enough and cross over into active failure, all cost discipline disappears.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
"Wastewater Dan” talks with FOX 4 News Kansas City about drought conditions in California and procedures to conserve water in the home. He also demonstrates the use of a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter to test drinking water quality, and interprets the results.
In this episode of The Water Online Show: On Location, our guest is Mike Blackburn from Hach. Mike dives into the benefits of panel-mounted solutions for water quality monitoring.
Appearing on The Weather Channel's "Wake Up With Al" morning show, water expert Dan Theobald puts drinking water to the test by measuring total dissolved solids (TDS) in tap water samples from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and New Jersey, as well as bottled water samples.
Stanford Earth’s Rosemary Knight recently spearheaded a project to map underground freshwater resources and forecast the intrusion of saltwater into aquifers beneath the California coastal town of Marina.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.